Earlene Bishop Chandler Kelly Wanca

Earlene Bishop Chandler Kelly Wanca, born in 1941 in Dallas, Texas, the only child of Sarah Saxon and William Earl Bishop, passed away very peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, on April 28, 2014. Her family moved to Orange, Texas when she was three years old, where they attended First United Methodist Church and where she attended Orange schools from elementary through high school. She graduated from Stark High School in 1959, and married Robert Earnest Chandler in 1960. She gave birth to her first child, Dana Lea Chandler in 1961, and to her son Malachi Chandler II in 1962, then was widowed in 1963. She then married Cornelious Patrick Kelly, and in 1966 moved to Wexford Park in Vidor, Texas, and had two more children, Kathryn Patrice “Shu-Shu”(Kelly) Freeman and Stacy Elisabeth (Kelly) Clark. She was an artist in the truest sense of the word, a history buff, an avid reader, a damn-near professional astrologer, soul-food slinger extraordinaire, thrower of epic parties, master seamstress and couturier, expert gardener of all things tropical and strange, a staunch blues fan, a bad driver, and a proud red-head. She always got it done, with extra flourish. She was funny, kind, bawdy, irreverent, slightly hard-headed, secretly desired to play the drums, used Tabasco sauce by the gallon, and made no bones about living her life exactly how she chose. No matter how little or much she might have had, she was more than willing to share it with those around her. She taught her children well, and knew we loved her. Earlene was preceded in death by her parents, by husbands Robert Earnest Chandler and Cornelious Patrick Kelly, and by her first-born child, Dana Lea Chandler. She is survived by her son, Malachi Chandler II of McKinney, Texas and his wife Brandy, daughter Kathryn Patrice “Shu-Shu” (Kelly) Freeman of Austin, Texas, and her husband Dave, youngest daughter, Stacy Elisabeth (Kelly) Clark of Houston, Texas and her husband Richard, along with grandchildren Malachi Chandler III (Trey) of McKinney, Texas, Dana Elisabeth Freeman of Austin, Texas, Madison Rose Clark of Houston, Texas, and Sarah Chandler of McKinney, Texas. She is also survived by her best friend of more than 50 years, Ruth Matthews, and by more friends and ‘family’ than can be listed here. Know you were all loved and appreciated. A heart-felt ‘thank-you’ to Austin Heart Hospital, Brenham Rest Home, Scott & White College Station, and to Houston Hospice, Dr. Irwin and his staff, and Bay Area Nurses Amy, Effie, Faith and Nosa. A Memorial Service will be held at Vidor Memorial Funeral Home Friday, May 2nd at 2 p.m. All hatchets buried, come and celebrate Earlene with us!